Adaptor for handling a nursing nipple



Nov. 20, 1956 J. w. MILLS ADAPTOR PoR HANDLING A NURSING NIPPLE Filed Deo. 20, 1952 United States Patent ADAPTOR FOR HANDLING A NURSING NIPPLE i Jim Wharton Mills, Bellflower, Calif., assignor to Glendon Homer Julien, Bellflower, Calif.

Application December 20, 1952, Serial No. 327,066

2 Claims. (Cl. 12S-252) This invention has to do with an adaptor for handling a nursing nipple, and it is a general object of the invention to provide a simple, practical, effective structure applicable to a Thermos bottle, or the like, and which is such as to accommodate or carry a nursing nipple.

Nursing bottles equipped with or adapted to receive nipples are in common use and are such that immediately before use it is necessary to heat the contents of the bottles.

Thermally insulated, liquid carriers of the type ordinarily referred to as Thermos bottles are in common usel for various purposes and their construction and operation is well understood. The ordinary Thermos bottle has a body with an open neck, the body and neck being formed with spaced impervious walls that define a space, from which, air has been' withdrawn. A case or jacket surrounds the body and is connected thereto at or through the neck. In the course of ordinary use, a cork closes the neck and a cap is threaded to the upper end portion of the case and encloses both the neck and the cork. A

It is a general object of this invention to provide an adaptor of simple, practical form and construction, ap-

j plicable to the neck of a Thermos bottle, and which is such as to effectively receive or carry an ordinary or conventional nursing nipple, thus making it possible to store warm food, such as milk for a substantial period of time and to have it available for use at the desired temperature by simply removing the cap of the Thermos bottle and by exercising a simple adjustment of the adaptor and the nursing nipple carried thereby.

It is an other object of this invention to provide an adaptor of the general character referred to which is of simple unitary form or construction and which in practice may be formed of a strong durable material that can be readily cleaned and sterilized, if necessary, and which can be very easily applied to and removed from a Thermos bottle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adaptor of the general character referred to which is characterized by a substantially rigid plug-like unit and a sealing means, preferably in the form of a ring or band of sealing rnaterial retained on the rigid unit and adapted to engage and seal with the neck of the Thermos bottle that the adaptor is applied to.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adaptor of the general character referred to, including the plug-like unit engageable with the Thermos bottle and a retainer threaded to the plug-like unit and adapted to releasably secure the nipple to the plug-like unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adaptor of the general character referred to, wherein the nipple may be supported or carried wholly within the confines of the plug-like body when not in use.

The adaptor, as provided by the present invention, is intended for use on or in connection with the ordinary or conventional Thermos bottle and 'it involves essentially a plug-like unit having a lower end portion carry- 2,771,073 Patented Nov. 20, 1956 ing a sealing means and adapted to be entered into the neck of the Thermos bottle and to be sealed therewith by the said means. The upper end of the plug-like unit is preferably in the form of a at seat, and the upper end portion of the unit is externally threaded. ln a preferred carrying out of the invention the nipple handled by the adaptor has a flange that seats on the upper end of the plug-like unit and a retainer is provided and has a collar threaded on the plug-like unit and provided with the lip that overlies the flange of the nipple and holds it in place relative to the plug-like unit. The plug is further provided with a longitudinal part or opening adapted to pass liquid from the bottle to the nipple, when in use, and adapted to receive and house the nipple when not in use.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the upper end portion of a typical or conventional Thermos bottle showing an adaptor embodying the present invention applied to and corking or closing the bottle, the adaptor carrying a nipple in an inverted relationship and provided with a cap and closure. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed planned section being a view taken as indicated by 1ine`7f2 on Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the cap and closure removed, the nipple converted and the structure in condition for operation. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the plug-like unit provided by the present invention, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 3, illustrating the manner in which the plug-like unit, ange of the nipple and the retainer are cooperatively related.

In the drawings, I have illustrated the upper end portion of an ordinary or conventional Thermos bottle and have illustrated the body 10 of the Thermos bottle and the neck portion 11 thereof combined with the usual protective case 13. The body 10 and the neck 11 are combined as a continuous unitary construction formed of spaced walls 14 and 15 defining a space 16 from which air has been exhausted. The case 13 of the Thermos bottle has an upper end portion 17 joined to the upper end of neck 11, at which point the body and neck unit is combined with or connected to the case 13. In accordance with conventional Thermos bottle construction, the upper end portion 17 is provided with a thread 18 adapted to receive a suitable cap 19, when the Thermos bottle is'in use as a carrier or storage device; the neck is shown corked or closed by means of the adaptor and the cap 19 screwthreaded to the portion 17, being held in place by means of the thread 18.

The construction or adaptor, -a's provided by the present invention, includes essentially an elongate pluglike unit A, .and `sealing means B combined with the plug A ,and engageable with rthe neck of the Thermos bottle, an elongate nipple C having a head, a iba-se and a Iflange 20 projecting radially from the lbase and engageable with the plug, `and a retainer D, releasably securing the flange of the nipple to the plug so that the nipple can be -selectively applied to the adaptor to project there- 'and from la practicable standpoint it can -be |formed rof f practically any so-called plastic material that is substantially rigid or :solid `at normal temperatures, and which will withstand boiling in water or other comparable operations that'may be required for cleaning or sterilization, The plug A in its preferred form is provided with a central longitudinal port or passageway 25. In -a typical form of the invention, the port 25 is of uniform size from one end of the plug to the other and yis preferably a :round bore ot 'substantial size, as illustrated in Figs. l and 3' of the drawings. The port 25 is shown as being of such size or extent as lto pass and receive the head and base of the nipple C when the .adaptor is employed as a cork or closure for the Thermos bottle.

"ihe` Plug, as provided by the present invention, has a dat, smooth upper end 26, forming a seat adapted to receive .a ange 20 of nipple C. The` upper end portion of the. plug i'svformed so that, the exterior thereof is round and has` aA thread 2,7` thereon.

'The sealing` means B is preferably .carried Iby or conutd tol the.. lower end, portion ofthe plug A andin the preferred form of the invention the sealing means .involves, or includes an annular ring or band 30 of -a suitable.v sealing material carried inl an annular recess4 or channel 31 provided in the exterior of the lower endportion ofthe plug. In practice it ispreferred that the chan-.

nel 31 be ot substanti-alextent longitudinally of the plug` and. that. the .ring 30 of the sealing. material be such as toncompl-etely, occupy lthe channel 3'1 and tofproject radially. outwardsomewhatfrom the lower end portion of they plug so th-atwhen the pl-ug is .applied to the neck of the Thermosbottle the neck -is engaged bythe sealing.

ring.

In, practice the sealingl ring l3nt)4 may 'b e formed. of .any suitable materialy that will establish the desired seal between theY plug andthe neck of the Thermos bottle. Rubber or rubber-like material can be used to advantage in the formation `of the sealing ring, as such a material will,` if .suitable quality, withstand treatment .such as will 'be necessary -to `clean the plug and the sealing ring combinedtherewith. Further, by forming the ring 30 of rubber, or a rubber-like material, it can be sprung on the plug and related thereto so that it remains tight on the plug.

The nipple. C may in practice vary widely in form and- For purpose of example, the nipple is.

construction. illustrated as .a simple or conventional nipple-having .an apertured head` 4i), and it is shown as having an enl-arged` base portion y41, from which the substantially flat.

ange 2.0 projects. The fla-nge 20,-is adapted to be engaged'with or arranged over the seat 26 at the upper end. of the plug with the port ZSof the plugin connection.

with the interior of the nipple.

The ,retainerD islpreferably .a simple rigid unitary element and it preferably includes an annular part orv collar 4,2, internally threaded and adapted to be screw threaded von theupper end portion `of the plug A, as by means kof thread 27. The retainer D includesa lip .43;

which isQannula-rin. form and which. projects radial-lyA inward from the upper end of thecolla-r 42 to 'overlie thev .llange 2 0. ofthe..nipple.. Itisto be notedthat .thebase portion 4, 1H of the nippleis.. engageable through or Yis adapted ytofproject,upwardly through the lip.y `43 -so the' head A,49, ,of the nipple is carried Well above the. retainer when iinworlcing,posit ion. The lip 43. oftheret-aineris spaced loverand opposes `the ,sea-t.26 so that the .flange 20":

of ,the nipple yis accommodated between .theseparts In the particular clase illustratedthe flange. 20.0fthe nippleA is of such -constructionrasto admit `some air into suitably adjusted. When the .retainer 4D is. tight, or .in

fully engagedposititmua'swould be. desired when thev adapter; is `used as a stopper or cork, as .shownirt Fig. l

tainer ispartiallyreleased, as shownuinfFigs.. Sand of thedrawings, and whenthenippleas to be, used, the

J the combmed Ibottle and nipple when .theretalner D rsnarigheid. portion, of.. mattia-nge. '2.9. heldsealedtatlie seat 26, While the portion of the flange inward thereof Iand which is provided withone or more ports '50 is reileased, providing a suitable -air passage. Under the lat-ter condition, air enters between the lip and vflange, flows through one or more of the ports 50 provided in the tlange .and enters the combinedl nipple and bottle to replace liquiddrawn trom 0r discharged throughi the head 40 of thel nipple. Y

lF-rornthe 'foregoing descrntiou.. it; will. The.. immediately apparentthat the plug A with the. sealing means B, as provided. by the inventionlis. a, Simple, rractaablgmt that can be readily applied to a Thermos bottle, and' is a unit which will -adlvantageously,v handlleorgaccommodate a nip-ple C. The combined structure, that is, the assembly made up of the plug A, nipple C and retainer D is a very simple, practical structure. The several parts are all simple. .in form, are simpleand convenienttooperate, and they arel such that they` can be, readily takenpartzfpr; purposes of cleaning or replacement, circumstances; man require.

With the adaptor providedy by the presentvinvention, ,liqfT uid` foodsuch as milk; can be, advantageously; handledgin the'Iherrnos bottle, that is,y storcnl` or transported With'theL Thermos bottle, corkedin the usual manner byrneansoff the adaptor with the nipple carried thereby in an invertedrelationship as shown vin Fig.; l, When. the liquidjsdesiredfor` use, the retainer DA of the adaptor canbetre-l rn oyed,thenipple .C converted `to working positionwhen-tr it projects. outwardly from tthe adaptor andi the retainer.; D replaced inthe manner illustratedin Fig. 3.

In4 practice, the` plugy A, with` the nipple C retained; thereon, orgtherein by means of the retainer D, may-beI 4haijidled as a -unit and during handling or st0rage, that is, when. thenipple is inverted and within the plug, the,ex posedNinterior-of -thenipple can beguarded or shielded byV a suitable c losure-tladapted to tover the nipple and ref, tained on the retainer D. In the case illustratedhthefclof. surelis a cup-likeeletnent having `an imperforate. disc shapedbody anda neck or rim portion 61 depending from; the.bodyandlfrictionally engaged over theexteriorjof ,the collarI ft2-ofthe retainer D. t

Having. described. only a typical preferred. form ,andl application.of,my,invention, I do not wishtobe limited?, or restricted to the specific claims herein set forth, but, wish to reserve vto myself any variations orrnodications, thatrnayappear tothose skilled in the art and fall within; the s'cope'of the following claims:

Having .described .my invention, I claim: y

1. AQdevice.,applicablel to the-neck ofa,thermally..in-` sulated .bottle, including, an. elongate vertically` disposed. tubularx plug inset-table intqthe neck of the bottlefandg having @passageway extending longitudinally` through'lit,l a n nipplehavingla mounting flange overlying4 and1 engagefv able with the upper end of the plug, a fastener releas'ablyg retaining thaauge .engaged .withthe plus. andnludn's an annularv collar'threadedly` engaged around the.,upper.. portion of theplug andhaving a radiallyxinwardly;pros jecting ,lip overlyinglltheupper end of the plug andfthe, mounting ange, andavclosurefreleasablycarried by the, fastener. and closingthe passageway, the nipple .being lini-, verted and located in the passageway.

2. A Adevice applicabledto the neck of a-thermally. insulated bottle including, arr elongate` vertically. disposed, tubular p lug insertable into theneck of thebottleand'hav. ing a passageway, extending.: .longitudinally .through it., sealing' means carried bytheplug adapted to sealbetween', theplug and the neck, a nipple 4havinga mounting flange overlying and engageable with` the upper end ofthe plug.: and depending'into Vsaid passageway, a retainer releasably., holding the .nipple on the plug, the plug ,having` acha'nneh extending around4` its lowerV end `portion" and said y.sealing4 means `including .aY ring of rubber-likematerial carri'edjn; the Y channel -and 'projecting from the4 exterior of rtheplug to be ensaaeable, with' a,nscklthe.fastenerincludingacolf@ Vlar threaded vonto the plug at the upper end thereof 'anda lip carried by the collar kand overlying the ange, and an inverted Acup-shaped dise closure releasably Icarried by the fastener to overlie the upper end of the device and enclosing the nipple in the passageway.

References Cited inthe le of this patent 6 Kushner Apr. 5, 1927 Wilson Mar. 30, 1937 Kurkjian Sept. 14, 1937 Weiter Sept. 13, 1938 Bailey Jan. 3, 1950 Little Aug. 29, 1950 Rust June 30, 1953 

